Shipping Container Roof Kit or Container Shelter: How to Choose

A shipping container roof kit is the roof and a container shelter is the finished building: two shipping containers as the side walls, with the kit spanning the gap between them. If you already own two shipping containers, or plan to buy them, a container roof kit is a way to get covered working space without pouring a foundation.

Covermore Buildings sells container roof kits and container-mounted shelters and ships them nationwide from Chouteau, Oklahoma, so where you live is not the obstacle. We get the same questions over and over, so here is how to think it through.

What Can You Use a Container Shelter For?

A container shelter turns the open ground between two containers into covered space for equipment, hay, vehicles, a workshop or a loading bay. The containers carry the load, and the roof keeps the weather off.

Because the containers are already there, you skip most of the site work. You still need level, well-drained ground under the containers, and you still need to check what your county requires. Rules on accessory structures vary a lot from place to place, so a phone call to the local office before you order saves headaches.

Do You Need a Container Roof Kit or a Complete Container Shelter?

Buy a container roof kit if your containers are already sitting on your property and you only want the roof. The kit is the package of roof parts, made to bolt to the containers. If you want the whole thing planned as one job, ask about a complete shelter: containers, roof and any end walls together.

People use these terms loosely, which is why buyers mix them up.

Should a Container Shelter Have a Fabric Cover or a Steel Roof?

A fabric cover suits most storage, while a steel roof is solid and familiar. A tensioned fabric cover is lighter, goes up faster and lets daylight in. Here is how the choice tends to play out:

• Hay, equipment and general storage: a fabric cover does the job and lets air move, which helps with hay.
• Heavy snow country: check the load rating of any roof against your local snow load before you buy. This matters more than the material.
• Shops where you weld or grind: sparks and fabric do not mix. Think about where the work happens.
• Sites where needs change: a fabric cover is lighter to handle if you ever move the containers.

How Should You Lay Out a Container Shelter on Your Site?

Plan the layout around access, wind and drainage. The space between the containers sets the roof width, and the container length sets how far the shelter runs.

Before you settle on a layout, walk the site and think about three things:

1. Access. Where will trucks, tractors or a forklift enter? Leave a clear open end.
2. Wind. Face the open end away from the prevailing wind where you can.
3. Drainage. Rain runs off the roof. Make sure it has somewhere to go that is not into your floor.

Can You Add On to a Container Shelter Later?

Yes. A container shelter can start as one covered bay and be extended later by adding a third or fourth container. Two containers side by side give you a long covered bay. Your storage needs at the start of the year are rarely the same as they are at the end of it, and a layout built from containers and a roof kit is easier to change than a poured building.

That said, plan the first stage with the second in mind. Leave room on the ground. Keep power and access in view.

What Questions Should You Ask Before You Order a Shipping Container Roof Kit?

Before you buy a shipping container roof kit, get answers to these:

• What does my local office require for a roof over containers?
• Is the ground under the containers level and stable?
• What snow and wind loads does my area design for?
• Who is going to install it, and do they have the right equipment?
• Which size do I actually need? Confirm it with us directly, because sizes and options change.

If you can answer these, you are ready to talk with someone who knows the product.